By: Yvonne Foong Ming Niang (Guest Blogger)

This article by Yvonne Foong Ming Niang extracted from http://www.yvonnefoong.com/2010/08/18/home-and-family-in-the-air/

Eddie & Co. sent mom and me to LAX last Saturday for our flight back to Malaysia.

While waiting in line at the Economy Class baggage check-in counters, we spotted Daryl Stripsky, the Malaysia Airlines ground crew at LAX coming in for work. We said our hellos and caught up a little before another ground crew waved us over and led us to a special counter next to the Golden Club counters.

Golden Club flyers still had to line up but we didn’t have to!

But that wasn’t the first time I was allowed to wait in the business class lounge. The MAS crew at LAX had been taking me there since my visit in March 2009 for the Gamma Knife Radio surgery.

In the business class lounge, I get to surf the web, reply e-mails and tell everyone on Facebook that I was heading for home!

Half an hour to departure, mom and I left the lounge and took the elevator to where boarding gates were. At this floor, another MAS ground crew spotted us. He spoke to mom briefly before leading the way. As we continued to walk ahead, he turned around and made eye contact with me, to say an extra hello. I knew then that he was aware of who we were.

Last weekend, we flew home on Economy like most times.

Even though we were seated in Economy Class, the cabin crew treated us with first class hospitality. The only tell-tale that we were in Economy was the always upright sitting position and the minimal leg space. Our blankets in Economy were woven and not duvets.

Economy Class food tastes just as good if not better. The only difference is in the way food is served. In business class, food is served with big designer plates, full-size cutleries, drinking glass, table cloths and cloth napkins.

If we want a snack in business class, we have to ask the crew, crack our brains and take a pick from the loooooooong list of choices, and then tell the crew what we want.

In Economy, the crew would suddenly and unexpectedly hand you a Magnum ice-cream sometimes. Surprise!

The attention I received in Economy Class was nothing less than what I will receive in Business Class. The crew was always willing to see what I needed whenever I pressed a button on the remote to call for attention.

In Business Class, the crew watched me with hawk’s eye. But it doesn’t mean I am treated any less without the hawk’s eye in Economy!

Once while I was flying Economy last weekend, I woke up during sleep time feeling hungry and called for attention. A steward I had seen seated at the end of the cabin earlier appeared beside me as soon as I pressed the button. He looked very concerned so I told him that I was just feeling hungry and wanted to eat something. He tried to ask me what would I like to have but I said that I couldn’t understand him and searched for my pen. He then dashed to the kitchen, dashed back and stashed two buns in individual plastic wrappers into my hands. I said that one was enough and returned the other.

It was a sardine bun. He also gave me a glass of water as requested.

He left me wondering whether they hired him just to look out for me.

I have much to thank the MAS ground crew in LAX for preparing their cabin colleagues with my background and special needs information. Because of this, the cabin crew was patient while communicating with me. Once on my return flight last weekend, a stewardess on the flight between Taipei and KLIA asked whether I needed a wheelchair upon arriving at KLIA. I said no, but she looked at me questionably and asked, “Are you sure?”

This stewardess had been looking out for me throughout the journey home and grew to empathize with the nature of my hearing impairment.

She spoke at a speed. Intonation and expression that I could pick up her words with my Auditory Brainstem Implant and understand her.

In the end, I chose to use the wheelchair and assistance because KLIA is just too huge!

My next flight to and fro the U.S. for medical reasons will be through Newark in New Jersey. I am going to miss the crew at LAX! *sob*

By: Bobby Sim Swee Sing (Inflight Services, Cabin Crew Line Operations)

 MH Crew Family hard at work clearing the garden, planting the grass and laying the driveway

At around 0830hrs, 10th July, 2010 on a bright and beautiful morning in the township of Kundang, the townsfolk saw a group of blue colored shirted people gathering at their Dewan Serbaguna Orang Ramai Kg Melayu Seri Kundang, complete with some wheelbarrows, cangkuls/hoes and shovels…they must have wondered if they had missed any news of a gold strike around their town and that these people were there to mine some gold or something else!

Our group, on the other hand, were feeling like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves going into the forest to do some work…just that in our case, it was not Snow White, but Welkins/CCLOPS/MH Juara, and not the Seven Dwarves, but 32 of us in the MH Crew Family consisting of all ranks and file with some family members, going to the PDK Seri Kundang Center to do up their garden and driveway for them!

We were also met by the assistant to the ADUN MP, YB HJ Shukur for the area, Mr. Adrian Sim who had come to know of our project during the planning stage. He brought with him three members of his constituency to assist us, and thank us for coming to do the Gotong Royong Project for the Center.

It was a short walk to the Center from the Dewan, and upon reaching the Center, a short opening speech was given by ISE Rahim Khamis who gave thanks to all present for volunteering their time and efforts in the spirit of 1MH. This was followed by a short speech by Mr. Adrian Sim who once again thanked us, and mentioned that we are indeed a very good representation of 1Malaysia in coming forward to volunteer our time and effort for the less fortunate. The Administrator for the Center, Puan Rozita then had a few words as well to thank us all for coming to help them, and also for the donations of some dry foodstuff and amenities organized by IFE Rahim.

A few more minutes briefing were spent on work logistics and safety rules, and at around 0920hrs, work proper started. Iit was indeed a sight to behold as all of us worked hand in hand, as what our 5 Star Cabin Crew always does, to efficiently do up the garden and driveway, managing to improvise when needed, exchanging ideas on the best course of action to take accompanied by the usual bantering and exchange of jokes!  The sun was blazing fiercely, it was really hard work and all of us were perspiring profusely, but the camaraderie was evident as all were seen encouraging and helping each other. Some of the Center’s ‘special’ students turned up at about 1100hrs, and we took a break to mingle with them. Our balloon man, CS Ginger entertained them with his specialty, and we could see that they were pretty excited by our presence.

The work finished around 1230hrs, by which time everyone was feeling pretty tired and sunburned, not to mention hungry!! However the satisfaction of seeing the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of the garden and driveway made up for all the hard work  and sweat, and after making sure that we had done the job properly, we thank the Administrator for giving us the opportunity to be there. A short closing by ISC Chang CK with some mention of plans for future projects, then we were off for lunch, sponsored by Welkins/MH Juara, at a Warong owned by one of our former crew.

We were pleasantly surprised when Mr. Adrian Sim showed up to have lunch with us, bringing with him some cut fruits consisting of buah nangka and guava. He also made sure we didn’t go back empty handed as he packed some buah nangka for all us to bring back as well.

All in all, a most tiring but satisfying morning, and special thanks goes out to ISE Rahim Khamis for being the source/catalyst of this project, ISC Chang CK for his passion and guidance to realize the project, also his willingness to get his hands dirty (despite being on pain killers for his knee), IFS Adrian Yin for assisting in the planning, Unit Hidayah representative CSS Warjeet Kaur, Head of C/Crew MH Juara ISE Oi GN, and our HOD, Mr. Gunalan for giving us his blessings and support for this charity project. Special mention also goes out to our two cameramen, FS Hafiz, and LS Nicholas Wan for their paparazzi skills! Many thanks also to all the participants, the family members who came along to lend a helping hand.  In reaching out to help the less fortunate, our MH Juara Program of ‘Engaging with Employees’ is certainly achieved, and this group of Crew Family who has participated in this project most certainly felt the difference in the sense that there were no boundaries or protocols between us despite the different ranks and files in the group!

I end this report by giving thanks to the Almighty for His grace in giving us a beautiful day in which to carry out our work, and may He also bless all of the participants as well for their charitable efforts for the day!!

The satisfaction of a job well done!!!

By: Mohd Hairani Mokhtar (Kelab Sukan MAS)

MAS Football Club in collaboration with External Relations Department has organized a charitable activity "MAS PINTAR FUTSAL 2010" held from 29th March and ending 31st March. This year’s tournament was held at De'Stadium Futsal Centre USJ19, Subang Jaya.

A total of 17 schools (153 students and 17 teachers) competing in the tournament, 13 from Primary Schools and 4 Secondary Schools. The purpose of this tournament was organized to strengthen good relationship between schools under the Pintar Project. In addition to fostering the spirit of sportsmanship and to build camaraderie between students enrolled in this program.

MAS Pintar Futsal 2010 was opened by Tuan Hj Lokman Ishak, Manager External Relations in a glorious dinner. As the games drew on, competition become more intense beneath the sweltering heat, as each team fought way to the finals. Alas, only ONE could be the Champion!

As for the Primary Schools team Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Satria Jaya, KUCHING triumphed over Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Sanglang, PERLIS. While for the Secondary Schools category Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Merpati, SANDAKAN has won Champion to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Ibrahim Fikri, TERENGGANU.

The prizes were presented by the Honorable Tan Sri Dr Munir Majid Chairman of the MAS in a Closing Ceremony Dinner. Tan Sri Dr Munir in his speech urged all students to compete among themselves in terms of academic or sports and raise the quality of schools adopted by Malaysia Airlines. Meanwhile, SGM Dato Capt Nawawi congratulated the MAS Football Club and External Relations staff on the success in organizing MAS Pintar Futsal for the second year.

Thanks to all who have congratulated for the success of this tournament. With the spirit of mutual events from all committee members involved, both MAS Football Club and External Relations Department have been able to show "1MH Malaysian Hospitality".

Below are details of the scores and winner:

Team Champion/Primary School: Sek. Keb. Satria Jaya Kuching, Sarawak
Runner up: Sek. Keb. Sanglang, Perlis
Best Player: Nicksan Ajang Anu Garing, (Sek. Keb. Satria Jaya, Kuching)

Team Champion/Secondary School: Sek. Men. Keb. Merpati, Sandakan
Runner up: Sek. Men. Keb. Ibrahim Fikri, Terengganu
Runner up: Sek. Men. Keb. Ibrahim Fikri, Terengganu
Best Player: Faiz Salim (Sek. Men. Keb. Merpati, Terengganu)

By: Zahiyah Abdul Muin (Malaysia Airlines, Singapore)

The Make-A-Wish Foundation International was founded 30 years ago in United States. The Foundation has affiliates in over 35 countries around the world. Malaysia and Singapore are part of the global organisation. Their mission is to grant the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions  all around the world. Having their wish granted  boosts their strength and outlook on life in battling their illnesses.

In celebration of the World Wish Day 2010, 16 years old Muhammad Hazim bin Husaini travel wish to  Singapore - The Lion City was granted.

Our Singapore team welcomed Muhammad Hazim and family to Singapore on 13 May 2010. He was presented with Singapore Orchids and Chocolates.

Malaysia Airlines Station Executive Mr Pandian and the Singapore Make-A-Wish Foundation representatives were at the airport to meet and greet the family.

Muhammad Nazim four days tour itinerary include places of interest such as  Sentosa – Singapore’s premier island resort getaway,  Universal Studio Singapore – the 1st Universal Studio theme park in Southeast Asia and the Night Safari – the world’s 1st dedicated night zoo.

By: Lailawaty  Mohamed Yusoff (External Relations)

Lanjutan dari projek perintis Program Sejahtera yang telah dilancarkan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak di Kampung Teluk Melati, Chenor Maran pada 4 September 2009 lalu, Jabatan Perhubungan Luar telah mengendalikan kelas memasak yang diketuai oleh dua orang Sous Chef kita iaitu Chef Zahidin dari F&B dan Chef Md. Daud dari LSGB.

Chef Zahidin dan Chef Daud yang memang mempunyai pengalaman yang luas di bidang masakan telah memberi tunjuk-ajar kepada penduduk di situ mengenai cara-cara memasak ala kenduri kahwin.   Semangat gotong-royong jelas kelihatan apabila kaum ibu berganding bahu menyediakan bahan-bahan untuk memasak dan kaum bapa pula membantu memasang khemah. Kakitangan kita, Ibrahim Ismail, dari Jabatan Pengangkutan juga turut serta menunjukkan kemahirannya menyediakan minuman istimewa sirap limau.

Di antara resepi masakan yang disediakan oleh kedua-dua Chef tersebut  ialah  Nasi Bryani Ghambus, Daging Bryani , Ayam Masak Merah, Dalca Sayur, Ikan talapia bersalut tepung, agar-agar buah serta minuman istimewa air jus lemon dan buah-buahan.

Masakan Chef Zahidin dan Chef Daud telah dijamukan kepada seramai 100 orang penduduk kampung yang diadakan di Dewan Orang Ramai Kg. Telok Melati. Turut hadir ialah Dato’ Capt Mohd Nawawi selaku Ketua Penyelaras Projek Sejahtera MAS yang telah mengiringi Pengerusi Yayasan Sejahtera, Dato Shahrir Samad dan para lembaga pengarah Yayasan Sejahtera ke sessi lawatan ke Rumah Komuniti MAS.

Tujuan kelas memasak ini diadakan ialah untuk memberi kemahiran kepada penduduk di sini supaya mereka dapat menjana pendapatan bagi menampung keluarga kerana rata-rata penduduk di sini terdiri dari ibu tunggal dan mereka yang miskin tegar.

1MH bukan sekadar pada slogan kerana ini terbukti apabila kakitangan dari Jabatan Operasi Penerbangan, RPAS, Sumber Manusia, Simulator Maintenance dan ITRE/CIMD telah menyumbangkan bahan-bahan bacaan seperti buku latihan, encyclopedia, kamus, buku cerita kanak-kanak dan sebagainya untuk diletakkan di perpustakaan mini di Rumah Komuniti MAS.  Buku-buku ini dapat dimanfaatkan oleh anak-anak penduduk.

Sumbangan dan sokongan dari kakitangan MAS sangat-sangat dihargai oleh penduduk Kg. Teluk Melati. Kakitangan boleh menghubungi Jabatan Perhubungan Luar MAS  untuk sebarang bentuk sumbangan kepada Rumah Komuniti MAS.

By: Sumathi TS Singham (Communications Division)

The Communications team

Hooray! The MH Charity Jumble Sale is back again for a good cause! In tandem with our MH Day, the 2010 Jumble Sale kicked off on 27 to 28 April 2010 at Canteen C, MAS Complex A, Subang.

Staff happily buying items

The purpose of having this Jumble Sale is to bring different departments to join forces and encourage oneMH effort for a good cause for this community event.

Meeting up with friends 

Participating teams from Flight Operations, Finance, In-flight Services Operations, Airport Operations, Property, Engineering & Logistics, Group Legal Practice, Firefly, MASkargo and Communications have lent great support as a united oneMH team.

Also, participating in this charitable project are friends from the NGO sector such as Mercy Malaysia, Mang Tha (Myanmar Society) and a social enterprise called Bandar Harapan Organic Farm who sold fresh produce from their farm in Ara Damansara.

Delicious Italian Pizza

Mercy Humanitarian Fund booth

By: Captain Nik Huzlan (Hajj & Charter)

For many, spending a Saturday riding a Harley Davidson and then flying on a B747 aircraft would be stuff dreams are made of.

Bearing the theme ‘Ride on Harley, Fly in Jumbo’, the dreams of some 300 underprivileged and terminally ill children actually came true at MAS Charter’s ‘Sensational Saturday’ event organized by our unit, Hajj & Charter which is a part of our Corporate Social Responsibility Program.

The day began with the children from Asrama Damai Kuang; Rumah Anak Yatim As-Shakur, Bandar Tasik Putri; Persatuan Anak Yatim Kg Medan and House of Joy, Puchong being transported from their respective homes to Naza HDKL in PJ early in the morning. They were then escorted by 150 Harley Davidson bikes worth RM25 million, 20 PDRM bikes and 15 BMW bikes to the MAS Engineering Complex A at Subang Airport. We had our MD/CEO, Tengku Dato’ Azmil, MAS employees, media representatives and proud sponsors to greet and celebrate the momentous occasion with the children.

After a pillion ride around the MAS Complex, the excited children then boarded a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 747-400 for a short flight to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Involved in this event were also Harley Davidson KL, Polis Diraja Malaysia Petaling Jaya, LSG Skychef, Anika Dimensi SB, Angkatan Tentera Malaysia and many others.

We have been organizing CSR events such as this since 2003 with ‘Sensational Saturday’ being the biggest. Last year’s event was themed ‘A Night to Remember’ which involved 150 children who rode on the Harleys and flew on an Airbus A330. Back in 2008, MAS Charters organized the Remote Control Airshow followed by the Msportbike Bike Ride event in 2007.

Our ‘Sensational Saturday’ event has made its entry into the Malaysia Book of Records under the category of the ‘largest single brand big bike gathering for a charity event.

By: Lee Siew Fai (Trainer to MH PINTAR Chess Icons, Engineering & Maintenance Division)

Our MH PINTAR program reached another milestone when we throw a hugely successful celebration event for completing three years of introducing chess to our PINTAR students in SK Permatang Damar Laut, Penang, SK Satria Jaya, Kuching and SK Sabak, Kota Bahru.

On 27 March 2010, we celebrated the success of two PINTAR Junior Trainers in securing the FIDE ratings which come with a global recognition among the chess playing community.

Subra and Nithya had managed to get inside the Top One Hundred Malaysia Active FIDE Rated Players (Malaysia’s January Listing) at rank 82 and rank 89 respectively. To make the celebration more significant, apart from receiving the FIDE Rating Score Card, they also provided us the thrill of a Simultaneous Chess Match to showcase their chess playing skills.

No amounts of words can describe their incredible talent in getting the attention of our MH staff and mesmerized all that was present. For the first time in MAS, if not the world, we provided a huge multi-hundreds millions Ringgit worth of an aircraft hangar and a multi-hundreds millions Ringgit worth of aircraft in the form of an in-service Boeing B777-200 to accompany the chess players in this special and unique occasion.

A picture speaks a thousand words and it is best we walk through this memorable day over some pictures taken by our Hangar photography team lead by Technician, Firdaus.

It was an early Saturday morning and the stage was set for the arrival of guests and participants. The majestic Rolls-Royce powered twin-engine Boeing B777-200 sits silently and proudly waiting for the day’s incredible action to commence.

If you think chess is boring, you are in for a surprise! As the participants begin to stream into our MAS Hangar 5, they were pleasantly welcomed by the violin music of our chess player cum violinist; Chein Yan and Wai Ben. As they were waiting for the event to start, the duo brought more “class and fanfare” by entertaining the excited audience with excellent musical pieces. Filling the air are the likes of the scandalous “Can Can” and the romantics of Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D. To rile the participants into greater fighting spirits, “Still Reeling” was played to remind the chess players on the agony of defeat!

Our guest of honour is no other than SGM External Affairs, Dato’ Capt Nawawi. Under Dato’s stewardship, the PINTAR program has successfully reached out to more schools within areas where our business operates and we are seeing the rewards of having gave a good solid platform for scholastic growth of the less than privilege children.

The highlight of our Celebration is the award of the FIDE Ratings Score Card to our two PINTAR Chess Icons Subra & Nithya. A well deserved congratulation to the two for being the first PINTAR students to achieve international recognition in the competitive game of chess.

To further commemorate this significant occasion, both were given a memento inscribed with the message recording the “First Ever Simultaneous Chess Match inside an Aircraft Hangar under the wings of a Boeing B777-200 aircraft”. I believe this is the best possible motivation anybody can give to these aspiring chess players. Hurray! Go for the highest goal…

A commendable “generous gesture” via our PINTAR effort was the successful introduction of chess in our PINTAR schools had left an indelible impression onto our Lae Hurul Ain of ASU, KLIA that she had decided to come forward and handover a personal cheque of Ringgit Malaysia Twenty-Five Thousand to SK La Salle Klang to start a chess program in the school. Pictured here is the cheque handing over ceremony to Headmaster Lim Leong Chye in the presence of our SGM External Affairs, Dato’ Capt Nawawi and SGM Engineering and Maintenance En. Mohd Roslan Ismail. “Syabas dan ribuan terima kasih” kepada Lae Hurul Ain kerana jasa baik anda akan menguntungkan murid-murid sekolah di SK La Salle Klang. Catur akan menbangkitkan kebolehan and kepercayaan diri mereka hingga tahap yang membolehkan kejayaan cermelang. Malaysia Boleh! Hurul Ain, you are the best!

Our SGM Dato’ Capt. Nawawi and SGM Mohd Roslan officiating the start of the Simultaneous Chess Match making the first move for Nithya. The challenge to beat the chess icons has just started. Over the next three hours, who will bite the dust?

Twelve year-old Subra is seen here taking on twenty-eight challengers.

Nithya is taking it all in good stride while playing against twenty-four opponents; no easy task for a ten-year old girl.

Subra is seen here making a crucial move against this opponent that seems to be putting up a fight over the sixty-four squares. Unknown to Subra, this serious looking “MAS security personnel” has something up his sleeves (or rather under his thinking beret!).

Nithya is performing under the watchful eyes of her father, Sivanesan. He seems to be more nervous than her daughter!

Spectators are seen keenly pondering over the players moves.

The surprised package comes in a Fide-rated Syazrin from Security Department playing strongly against Fide-rated Subra. The end result was a fighting draw and, perhaps, more gauntlets next.

While the challenge to beat Subra and Nithya is taking place, we have some children of MAS staff taking their first ever lesson in chess on the other wing of the Boeing B777-200 aircraft- what a significant and memorable start to learning the game of chess. We hope this is the start of a journey of making chess their life-long friend. By virtue of starting chess learning in this excellent and motivating environment, they have the very best of “initialization in the game of chess!”

The organizing committee takes the opportunity to have a photo taken with SGM Dato’ Capt Nawawi. A job well done!

The coach takes a quick glimpse to see how the games are progressing. Only he can stop the match if the child icons are physically and mentally impaired due to exhaustion. The games are then to be adjudicated by the Match Director. In the end, the match finished within the three hours time limit with only five games needed adjudication.

No child plays as the challengers are concentrating hard to win a memorable game. These are faces of the young participants, the children of parents taking the trouble to bring them to a memorable Saturday morning. Will they too go forth from here and begin to etch a name for themselves in the world of competitive chess?

The Sivanesan family seen here relaxing after seeing off their opponents (and friends).

Final results:

Nithya scored 19 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses with a playing percent